Universal appeal
Leveraging the attraction of its new theme park, Beijing’s Tongzhou district is set to develop its culture and tourism portfolio,
Tongzhou is set to develop compelling tours and introduce more quality projects to boost its culture and tourism, according to the head of the district, Zhao Lei.
The district in the east of the capital city will ride the wave of popularity fueled by the opening of Universal Beijing Resort, actively attempting to tap into local consumption needs, Zhao explains.
Universal Beijing Resort has recently been capturing headlines and clicks at news outlets and on social media, and searches for the resort have surged on major tourism platforms.
The resort officially opened to the public on Sept 20 after completing its monthslong soft opening and various test runs of the facilities.
“Internet users have already developed many travel tips and are fighting each other to post and share them,” Zhao says.
The district will take over the overspill effect from the Universal Studio and introduce more distinctive Chinese culture to spice up travelers’ experiences, including the Grand Canal scenic spot and towns offering local art and special performances, he adds.
The goal is to upgrade Tongzhou into a national model for culture and tourism business integration as well as a modern place for international tourism consumption, Zhao said at the 2021 Beijing’s Sub-Center Cultural Tourism Industry Summit on Sept 17.
The event was co-hosted by the Publicity Department of Tongzhou district CPC Committee and the administrative committee of the district’s Cultural Tourism Zone.
Alongside eight global culture and tourism conglomerates, 31 top domestic industry players joined the meeting.
Investment of 800 billion yuan ($124 billion) will go into the development of Tongzhou over the course of the 2021-25 period, which will undoubtedly offer extensive business applications and opportunities, experts say.
“We’d like to attract more culture and tourism companies to settle in the area and assist in its high-quality development,” says Zhao Jun, director of the district’s Cultural Tourism Zone, which sits in the southwest of Tongzhou and covers an area of just over 12 square kilometers.
With favorable policies, the authority is planning to draw premium cultural design, animation, performance, recreational and filmmaking projects to the zone, Zhao Jun adds.
“We will step up reform and innovation measures, and lift culture and tourism market access limitations,” he says.
International art performances, as well as art and sporting goods exhibitions and fairs will be encouraged, as will be cooperation with top culture and tourism industry players from both home and abroad, Zhao Jun says.
A one-stop premium butler service will be provided to businesses that meet certain criteria.
The Universal Beijing Resort is expected to attract 10 million tourists and take in more than 10 billion yuan annually.
More than 70 categories of businesses are expected to take shape, which will benefit over 100 upstream and downstream sectors and help develop a fully functional culture and tourism chain, Zhao Jun says.
Beijing Tourism Group, one of the Universal Beijing Resort’s investors, has settled its headquarters in the cultural tourism zone of Tongzhou.
The Universal Beijing Resort will push for the clustering of high-end culture and tourism industries, casting a strong influence over a radius of 5-10 km, says Yu Xuezhong, deputy general manager of the Beijing Tourism Group.
Positive changes will continue to spread further outward, Yu adds.
A host of businesses has signed cooperation agreements with the district’s Cultural Tourism Zone, including the US-based Theme Entertainment Association, Trip.com Group, Overseas Chinese Town and Meituan.
The Beijing Shouhuan Cultural Tourism Investment Co will work to boost innovation in Tongzhou, and host exhibitions, forums and education and training pertaining to the theme park and recreational industries.
The China Cultural Tourism Group will cooperate with Tongzhou in international IP settlement, design, construction and operation management, as well as the development of creative cultural products.
Internet giant Tencent will systematically provide Tongzhou with an intelligent cultural tourism application system based on end-toend service and management for destinations, governments, scenic spots and tourists.
Trip.com Group will help develop premium cultural tourism products and promote the digitalization of smart tourism.
Increasing demand for immersive experiences from Chinese tourists requires a balance of environment, scenic areas and services, experts say.
The biggest difference between immersive experiences and traditional sightseeing tours lies in the building of an emotional connection with visitors, says Jin Minhao, president of the China Cultural Tourism Group.
Universal Studios and Shanghai Disneyland are models of immersive tourism, Jin says.
Jin calls attention to creative ideas. “We neither lack for cultural heritage nor stories and themes,” Jin says, adding that the key is to present those resources in an appealing way.
Participants at the mid-September summit all agreed that development of the cultural tourism zone in Tongzhou will provide great opportunities since Beijing is steeped in Chinese culture and attracts talent from all over the world.
“I hope it can become the Silicon Valley of China’s culture and tourism development,” Jin says.